Carton for containers or the like



. June 21, 1966 N. F. WILLIAMS 3,257,066

CARTON FOR CONTAINERS OR THE LIKE Filed Jui 17, L964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR NEAZ E W/Zl/4M5 ATTORNEYS June 21, 1966 N. F. WILLIAMS 3,257,066

CARTON FOR CONTAINERS OR THE LIKE Filed July 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR N511 F. w/zu/ms BY f 2 /7.

ATTORNEY5 3 257,666 CARTON FOR COIQTAINERS OR THE LIKE Neal F. Williams, Lynchburg, Va., assignor to Old Dominion Box Company, llnc., Lynchburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No. 383,371

12 Claims. (Cl. 229- 40) The present invention relate-s to a carton adapted to receive and hold a plurality of objects such as cans or bottles, and in particular to such a carton in which a predetermined number of such objects are packaged to define a unit which may readily be carried by hand, and in which the individual objects are securely held in protected condition.

It has become commonplace to pre-package a plurality of individual objects so that said plurality of objects can be manipulated as a unit, thereby facilitating removing United States Patent "ice Patented June 21, 1966 The prime object of the present invention is to devise a carton for a plurality of containers which will atta n the above-mentioned functional characteristics and WhlCl'l at 1 the same time will involve minimal cost, with regard both them from a shelf in a supermarket or the like and transporting them to the home, the beach, the picnic area or wherever such objects are to be used or stored. This type of packaging and merchandising is employed for many kinds of objects, but is particularly widely used in connection with bottles or cans of beverages such as beer, soft drinks and the like. This invention is specifically illustrated and described in conjunction with the multipackaging of bottles, but this is by way of exemplification only. 4

One of the most common types of multi-packaging involves the use of a carton formed from a blank of inexpensive material such as paperboard, which blank is subdivided into panels and is adapted to be wrapped around a plurality of objects and then secured in place. (Solely for explanatory purposes, such objects, whatever their true nature, will hereinafter be termed containers.) Such a carton must perform several functions; It must, of course, retain the containers in proper position so that they may safely be manipulated as a unit, yet at the same time must permit ready removal of the individual containers. The containers should, to as large degree a is feasible, be physically insulated or separated from one another; this is particularly important when the containers are in the form of glass bottles or other fragile or breakable objects, but such insulation or separation is also desirable with such non-delicate objects as metal can in order to minimize noise which might be produced by one can hitting against another. The provision of physical insulating means between the containers also helps to hold them in position.

It is also important that the cartons can be readily grasped and carried, so that they can be removed from supermarket shelves and transportedto places of storage and to places of ultimate use.

Of particular importance from a merchandising point of view isthe capability of the carton to exhibit identificacation names or symbols, such as trademarks, in order that a desired brand of product may readily be found and selected when it is displayed on a supermarket shelf along with competing brands. Marketing research has disclosed that the prominence and ready visibility of brand identification is a very significant factor in fostering sales under self-service supermarket conditions. It is highly desirable that such indicia hould be visible on all sides of the carton, so that no matter how the cartons are shelved or stacked prospective purchasers can pick out what they Want.

In addition to these functional requirements, there are economic factors involved which are of equal importance. The cost of manufacturing and setting up the cartons must be kept as low as possible, consistent with proper functioning of the cartons. Consequently as little paperboard as possible should be used, and the constructionshould be such as to be capable of being set up and secured in place through the use of simple machinery.

to expense of carton material and expense of assembly with the containers packaged within the carton. p

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to devise a carton adapted to be wrapped around a plurality of containers which will retain those containers securely in place, which will at least partially close the ends of the carton in an extremely economical manner, and which will provide surfaces on the ends of the carton for display and identification purposes, which will ensure that the carton is wrapped tightly around the containers and is held securely in that condition but is readily openable so as to permit containers to be removed therefrom, wh1ch utilizes overlapped panel portions for securing the carton in wrapped condition which overlapped panel portions are reliably held closely against one another so as to prevent accidental opening of or damage to the carton, which is so constructed as to provide convenient means by which the filled cartons may be grasped and carried, and which accomplishes all of the above objectives through the use of a minimal amount of paperboard, with certain of the parts of the carton performing multiple functions. In short, the carton construction of the present invention is designed to make highly efiicient use of a minimal amount of paperboard which may economically be cut and scored to proper configuration in order to produce a carton which is in many respects functionally superior to prior art cartons.

In accordance with the above, the carton of the present invention is designed to be formed from a blank comprising a bottom wall, side walls,.and first and second top wall panel-s foldably connected to the side walls respectively and adapted to over-lap one another. Interengaging means are provided on the overlapping top wall panels to pull the carton tightly about the containers disposed therewithin. Flaps, independent of said interengaging means, are provided on the lowermost of the top wall panels which are adapted to be bent up therefrom, extend around the free edge of and over the body of the uppermost top wall panel, and to be punched down through appropriately positioned apertures in the uppermost top wall panel, thereby to retain the top wall panels in overlapping position and to hold the uppermost top wall panel snugly down flat against the lowermost top wall panel. These flaps and the apertures through which the flaps are punched down are so located on the carton as to register with spaces between containers within the carton, the spacing between adjacent sets of flaps and apertures being such that a persons thumb and forefinger can readily be inserted into those apertures, thereby defining means by which the filled carton can be grasped and lifted without having to provide a separate handle structure. The punched down portions of the flaps are interposed between containers, and thus serve to prevent those containers from bumping against one another within the carton.

The top Wall panels are provided at their ends with end panels foldably connected thereto, which end panels are adapted to be bent down therefrom so as to partially close the otherwise open ends of the carton, thereby serving to prevent containers from escaping through the carton ends and at the sam time providing surfaces at the ends of the carton on which trademarks or other identifying or advertising matter may 'be'displayed. Partition panels are foldably secured to facing edges of the end panels and are adapted to be bent inwardly so as to lie alongside one another and extend axially of the carton, the two-ply partitions defined by such partition panels being interposed between containers within a carton, thereby positively physically separating those containers and insulating them from contact with one another. When the containers are bottle-shaped, the top wall panels preferably have a length less than that of the side wall panels, so that the end panels can be formed without having to use any appreciable extra amount of paperboard. The partition panels are so located on the blank that they do not require the use of any extra paperboard whatsoever.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the design and construction of a carton designed for prepackaging a plurality of containers or other objects, as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank from which a typical carton of the present invention is adapted to be formed;

FIG. 2 is a three-quarter perspective view of the carton formed from the blank of FIG. I wrapped around a plurality of containers and secured in wrapped-around condition; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views taken along the lines 33 and 44 of FIG. 2 respectively.

The invention is here specifically disclosed in the form of a carton adapted to pre-package a plurality of containers in the form of bottles 2, those bottles being arranged in two parallel rows of three bottles each, thereby to produce a conventional six-pack, but it will be appreciated that this is by way of exemplification only, and that the carton is also adaptable for use with containers 2 of other types, arranged within the cartons in difierent' quantities and fashions, and that objects other than containers could be substituted for the bottles 2.

The carton, which may be formed of appropriate structural material such as paperboard, cut or stamped from. a large sheet of such material, as is conventional, comprises a bottom wall 4, side walls 6 adapted to be bent up therefrom, and first and second top wall panels 10 and 12 respectively, each of the top wall panels 10 and 12 being connected to a corresponding side wall 6 so as to be bendable relative thereto. The top wall panels 10 and 12 are adapted to overlap one another, with the panel lt'l' overlying the panel 12. The side walls 6, immediately adjacent the bottom wall 4, are provided with a series of cutouts 14 having upwardly tapering or curved edges, those cutouts 14 being longitudinally spaced corresponding to the desired locations of the bottles 2. The bottom corners 2' of the bottles 2 extend out through those cutouts 14, thereby to fix the positions of the bottles 2 within the carton. A foldline 16 is disposed across the side wall 6 immediately above the cutouts 14 in order to facilitate the bending of the vertical portion 6aof the side wall 6 relative to the generally inclined portion 6b thereof in which the cutouts 14 are formed. When the containers 2 are in the form of bottles, the upper portion 60 of the side wall 6 may be separated from the vertical portion 6a thereof by fold line 18, so that the portion 60 may be inclined inwardly, as is clearly evident in FIGS. 2-4.

Foldlines 20 separate the top wall panels 16 and 12 from their respective sid walls 6, those foldlines 20 being interrupted, in the bottle-packaging form here specifically disclosed, by cuts 22 extending into the side wall portion 60 and partially into the top wall panels 10 and 12, thereby to define tabs 24 which, when the top wall panels 10 and 12 ar bent down horizontally from the side wall sections 60, are adapted to extend out coplanarly from the top wall panels 1% and 12, the cuts 22 defining openings through which the bottle caps 2" are adapted to extend, the tabs 24 extending over and covering the upper surfaces of those bottle caps 2".

The uppermost top wall panel 10 has a free edge '26 and is provided with a longitudinally extending foldline 28 located between the edge 26 and the foldline 20. The

foldline 28 is interrupted by a plurality of cuts 30 longitudinally spaced from one another and extending toward the fold inc 2% thereby to define a plurality of tabs 32. The foldline 28 separates the top wall panel 10 into sections ltla and 10b, and the tabs 32 extend into the section 1% and are integral with the section 1(la. A pair of apertures 34 also interrupt the foldline '28, each of the apertures 34 being longitudinally spaced from the adjacent tabs 32.

The lowermost top wall panel 12 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced cuts 36 which define tabs 38 connected to the end wall panel 12 by means of foldlines 4%", the tabs 38 being adapted to register with the tabs 32 on the end wall panel 10 when those panels are overlapped. The panel 12 is also provided with cuts 42 longitudinally interposed between and spaced from the cuts as so as to define flaps 44 which are foldably connected to the panel 12 by means of foldlines 46-. The foldlines 46 are so located on the panel 12 as to be beyond the free edge 26 of the panel 10 when the panels 10 and 12 are overlapped, and the flaps 44 are so located as to register with the apertures 34 in the panel 10. The flaps 44 are preferably formed so as to have a relatively narrow first section 44a and a wider second section 44b, separated by foldline 47, the sections 4412 being wider than the apertures 34 and preferably being provided with converging foldlines 48.

End wall panels 50 are foldably connected to the ends of section 1% of the end wall panel 10 by means of foldlines 52, and similar end wall panels 50 are similarly foldably connected to corresponding portions of the ends of the top wall panel 12. Partition panels 54 are foldably connected to the end wall panels 50 by foldlines 56. The partition panels 54 connected to the top wall panel 10 extend along the ends of panel section 10a and are separated therefrom by cuts 58. The partition panels 54 connected to the top wall panel 12 extend along the ends of a corresponding section of the panel 12 and are similarly separated therefrom by cuts 58. Substantially triangularshaped panels 60 are connected between the end wall panels 50 and the upper portions of the side walls 6, being connected to the former by foldline 62 and to the latter by foldline 64. In the form here specifically disclosed, where the containers 2 are in the form of bottles having tapering neck portions, the length of the top wall panels 10 and 12 is less than the length of the side walls 6, thus permitting the end panels 50 and partition 54 to be formed at least in large part from paperboard coming within a lateral projection (vertically as viewed in FIG. 1) of the side Wall 6 and bottom wall 4,'thus making for extreme economy in the use of paperboard.

When the carton is to be used the proper number of bottles 2 are appropriately positioned on the bottom wall 4 and inside the bent-up side wall 6. The lowermost top wall panel 12 is then bent down to a horizontal position so as to overlie the tops of the bottle caps 2" in the corresponding row of bottles 2, and the flaps 44 are bent up therefrom to a substantially vertical position and are maintained in that position. The section lfia of the top wall panel 19 is bent about the foldline 28 relative to the top wall panel section 10b so that the tabs 32 extend coplanarly with the section 10a and depend below the section 10b, and the section 10b is bent around the foldline 2% so as to overlie the top wall panel 10, the tabs 32 pressing-down the flaps 38 and entering the apertures in the top wall panel 12 defined by the cuts 36, the tabs 32 coming up against the edges of the cuts 36 opposite the tab foldlines 40. The top wall panel section 10a is then rotated to a horizontal position substantially coplanar with the section 10b and closely overlying the top wall panel 12. This causes the tabs 32 to pivot against the edges of the apertures in which they are received, thereby drawing the carton blank tightly around the bottles 2. The free edge 26 of the top wall panel section 10:: is located to the right (as viewed in FIG. 2) of the flaps 44 extending upwardly from the top wall panel 12. The flaps 44 are then bent down horizontally over the top wall panel section a, and the wider flap sections 44b register with the apertures 34 in the top wall panel 10. The flap sections 44b are then bent about the foldlines 47 and pushed down through the apertures 34, the flap sections 44b themselves bending about the foldlines 48 as to move through the narrower apertures 34 and then spring back substantially to their initial wide condition, thereby looking themselves in engagement with the top wall panel 12 and effectively preventing their accidental disengagement from the apertures 34. The flaps 44 thus function to maintain the top wall panels 10 and 12 in overlapped relationship and thus to maintain the carton in tightly wrapped condition around the containers 2. In addition the flaps '44 hold the exposed top wall panel section 10a down flat against panel 12 and prevent it from bending up about the foldline 28.

The apertures 34 through which the flaps 44 are pushed are exposed, and function as finger-receiving orifices through which a person can pass his thumb and forefinger respectively, thereby to grasp and lift the carton and its contents. This lifting is accomplished at a two-ply portion of the carton, which provides adequate strength thereto. Since the apertures 34 and flaps 44 are so positioned as to register with spaces between adjacent bottles 2, the necessary finger-receiving spaces are provided on the inside of the carton.

by serve to restrict movement of the containers 2 within the carton. This latter factor is of particular significance when the containers 2 are in the form of cans or the like the upper peripheries of which are approximately as closely spaced relative to one another as their lower peripheries, or when the carton is only incompletely filled with containers.

At the same time that the top wall panels 10 and 12 are being bent down over the top of the carton, or prior thereto, the partition panels 54 are bent around the foldlines 56 so as to extend substantially at right angles to the end panels 50 to which they are connected, and the end panels 50 are bent about the foldlines 52 so as to extend from their respective top wall panels 10 and 12, the foldlines 56 on the end wall panels 50 at a given end of the carton facing and substantially abutting one another and the. partition panels 54 connected thereto lying alongside one another and projecting axially into the interior of the carton, thereby defining a two-ply partition which is interposed between the end bottles 2 at that end of the carton and which prevents those bottles from engaging one another, at least at their upper ends, and cushions them against shock. The end panels 50 partially close the ends of the carton, thereby assisting in securing the bottles 2 therein and protecting them against impact from external agents. In addition, the exposed surfaces of the end panels 50 are readily visible, and may be used to carry trademarks or advertising or identifying indicia or messages which will be readily visible from the ends of the carton.

The filled cartons may readily be stacked one upon the other, a factor which is of considerable importance in connection with point of sale displays. The fiat upper and lower surfaces of the carton, as well as the tabs 24 which extend out over the bottle caps 2", facilitate such stacking and protect the containers against damage. The flaps 44 which extend around the free edge 26 of the top wall panel section 10a prevent that section from being accidentally bent upwardly when superposed cartons are shifted in position or are dragged thereover.

Thus a high degree of security is imparted by the carton of the present invention, both with regard to the carton contents and with regard to the reliability with which the carton remains in secured position around those contents. The carton may, however, be readilyopened to permit unimpeded removal of the bottles 2 therefrom.

In addition, the sections 44b of the flaps 44 extend down into those spaces and there- This is done simply by inserting a finger into the apertures 34 and pulling the flaps 44 up therefrom and then by lifting the top wall panel section 10a so as to disengage the tabs from the apertures defined by the cuts 36, after which the top wall panels 10 and 12 may be disengaged and the carton spread open to expose the bottles 2.

The flaps 44 not only serve as punch locks for maintaining the top wall panels 10 and 12 in position against one another, but also serve to positively prevent upward movement of the top wall panel section 10a. In addition they cooperate with the apertures 34 to define lifting and carrying means for the carton, as well as assisting in retaining the bottles 2 in proper position within the carton. All of this, it will be noted, is accomplished without in any way detracting from the efficiency and effectiveness of the tabs 32 in drawing the carton tightly around its contents, and Without weakening the carton in connection with the action of those tabs 32. The end wall panels serve to partially close the ends of the carton, protect the carton contents, and provide surfaces for display purposes. In addition they carry the panels 54 which define the partitions which extend between the end containers.

Manipulation of the various blank parts, particularly when the carton is being closed around the containers 2, is simple and is readily accomplished in a continuous manner by means of simple packaging machinery. The blank construction, as exemplified in FIG. 1, is exceedingly compact, and the design is such as to involve only a negligible wastage of material, particularly when blanks are cut or stamped from large sheets of appropriate material. The panels 50, 54 and cause only a minimal departure fromexact rectangularity in the blank, thus producing only a minimal amount of waste, constituted by the spaces at each end of the blank between the sets of panels in question. Even that small amount of waste can be further minimized if the individual blanks are so arranged on the overall sheet that the protruding portions of the panels 50, 54 and 60 of a given blank are caused to nest inside the spaces at the ends of adjacent blanks defined between the protruding panel portions of that adjacent blank.

Thus, by means of a simple and economical structure well adapted to automatic machine erection, a container carton is produced which is characterized by superior functional attributes.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, all within the scope of the instant invention, as defined in the appende claims.

Iclaim:

1. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and first and second top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls and having free edges located remote from their associated side walls, said first top wall panel overlapping said second top wall panel, said second panel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures formed therein and, longitudinally spaced from said apertures, a plurality of flaps formed therefrom, said flaps extending laterally from foldlines located laterally outside said free edge of said first panel to points laterally on the other side of said free edge, said first panel having a plurality of tabs spaced laterally from said free edge of said first panel, said tabs registering with and entering the apertures in said second panel, said first panel having a plurality of apertures registering with portions of said flaps so as to define aperture-flap sets, said flaps extending from said second panel across said free edge of said first panel and over said first panel and being inserted into said apertures in said first panel, said aperture-flap sets being longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the spaces between adjacent containers resting on said bottom wall, said flap portions being adapted to enter said spaces and to be interposed between said adjacent containers.

2. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and first and second top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls and having free edges located remote from their associated side walls, said first top wall panel overlapping said second top wall panel, said second panel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures formed therein and, longitudinally spaced from said apertures, a plurality of flaps formed therefrom, said flaps extending laterally from foldlines located laterally outside said free edge of said first panel to points laterally on the other side of said free edge, said first panel having a plurality of tabs spaced laterally from said free edge of said first panel, said tabs registering with and entering the apertures in said second panel, said first panel having a plurality of apertures registering with and narrower than portions of said flaps so as to define aperture-flap sets, said flaps extending from said second panel across said free edge of said first panel and over said first panel and being inserted into said apertures in said first panel, said aperture-flap sets being longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the spaces between adjacent containers resting on said bottom wall, said flap portions being adapted to enter said spaces and to be interposed between said adjacent containers, end panels foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said first and second top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another longitudinally of said carton, thereby to define a partition between the end containers in different rows.

3. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and first and second top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls and having free edges located remote from ther associated side walls, said first top wall panel overlapping said second top wall panel, said second panel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures formed therein and, longitudinally spaced from said apertures, a plurality of flaps formed therefrom, said flaps extending laterally from foldlines located laterally outside said free edge of said first panel to points laterally on the other side of said free edge, said first panel having a plurality of tabs spaced laterally from said free edge of said first panel, said tabs registering with and entering the apertures in said second panel, said first panel having a plurality of apertures registering with portions of said flaps so as to define aperture-flap sets, said flaps extending from said second panel across said free edge of said first panel and over said first panel and being inserted into said apertures in said first panel, said aperture-flap sets being longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the spaces between adjacent containers resting on said bottom wall, said flap portions being adapted to enter said spaces and to be interposed between said adjacent containers, end panels foldably-connected to a longitudinal end of said first and second top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another longitudinally of said carton, thereby to define a partition between the end containers in different rows, and substantially triangular panels between and foldably connected to said end panels and said side walls.

4. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and first and second top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls and having free edges located remote from their associated side walls, said side walls including substantially vertical sections and inclined sections connected between said vertical sections and said top wall panels, said first top wall panel overlapping said second top wall panel, said second panel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures formed therein and, longitudinally spaced from said apertures, a plurality of flaps formed therefrom, said flaps extending laterally from foldlines located laterally outside said free edge of said first panel to points laterally on the other side of said free edge, said first panel having a plurality of tabs spaced laterally from said free edge of said first panel, said tabs registering with and entering the apertures in said second panel, said first panel having a plurality of apertures registering with and narrower than portions of said flaps so as to define aperture-flap sets, said flaps extending from said second panel across said free edge of said first panel and over said first panel and being inserted into said apertures in said first panel, said aperture-flap sets being longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the spaces between adjacent containers resting on said bottom wall, said flap portions being adapted to enter said spaces and to be interposed between said adjacent containers.

5. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and first and second top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls and having free edges located remote from their associated' side walls, said side walls including substantially vertical sections and inclined sections connected between said vertical sections and said top wall panels, said first top wall panel overlapping said second top wall panel, said second panel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures formed therein and, longitudinally spaced from said apertures, a plurality of flaps formed therefrom, said flaps extending laterally from foldlines located laterally outside said free edge of said first panel to points laterally on the other side of said free edge, said first panel having a plurality of tabs spaced laterally from said free edge of said first panel, said tabs registering with and entering the apertures in said second panel, said first panel having a plurality of apertures registering with and narrower than portions of said flaps so as to define aperture-flap sets, said flaps extending from said second panel across said free edge of said first panel and over said first panel and being inserted into said apertures in said first panel, said aperture-flap sets being longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the spaces between adjacent containers resting on said bottom wall, said flap portions being adapted to enter said spaces and to be interposed between said adjacent containers, end panels foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said first and second top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend along side one another longitudinally of said carton, thereby to define a partition between the end containers in different rows.

6. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and first and second top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls and having free edges located remote from their associated side walls, said side walls including sub stantially vertical sections and inclined sections connected between said vertical sections and said top wall panels, said first top wall panel overlapping said second top wall panel, said second panel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures formed therein and, longitudinally spaced from said apertures, a plurality of flaps formed therefrom, said flaps extending laterally from foldlines located laterally outside said free edge of said first panel to points laterally on the other side of said free edge, said first panel having a plurality of tabs spaced laterally from said free edge of said first panel, said tabs registering with and entering the apertures in said second panel, said first panel having a plurality of apertures registering with portions of said flaps so as to define aperture-flap sets, said flaps extending from said second panel across said free edge of said first panel and over said first panel and being inserted into said apertures in said first panel, said aperture-flap sets being longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the spaces between adjacent containers resting on said bottom wall, said flap portions being adapted to enter said spaces and to be interposed between said adjacent containers, end panels foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said first and second top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another longitudinally of said carton, thereby to define a partition between the end containers in different rows, and substantially triangular panels between and foldably connected to said end panels and said inclined panel sections. 7

7. The carton of claim 6, in which the length of said top wall panelsis less than the length of said vertical sections of said side walls and the combined length of said top wall panels and the end panels connected thereto is greater than the length of said vertical sections of said side walls, said triangular panels having free edges tapering outwardly from the end edges of th corresponding side wall sections to the end edges of said end panels.

8. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and overlapping top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls respectively,'end panels foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another substantially longitudinally of said enclosure, thereby to define a partition between end containers in said rows.

9. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and overlapping top wall panels foldably connected tosaid side walls respectively, end panels foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another substantially longitudinally of said enclosure, thereby to define a partition between end containers in said rows, and substantially triangular panels between and foldably connected to said end panels and said side walls.

10. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest, side walls extending up from said bottom-wall, and overlapping top wall panels foldably connected to said side Walls respectively, said side Walls including substantially vertical sections and inclined sections connected between said vertical sections and said top wall panels, end panels foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another substantially longitudinally of said enclosure, thereby to define a partition between end containers in said rows.

11. A container carton comprising a bottom wall on which a plurality of rows of containers are adapted to rest,

side walls extending up from said bottom wall, and ove-rlapping top wall panels foldably connected to said side walls respectively, saidside walls including substantially vertical sections and inclined sections connected between said vertical sections and said top wall panels, end panel-s foldably connected to a longitudinal end of said top wall panels respectively, bent down therefrom to partially close the end of said carton and having facing edges which substantially abut one another, and partition panels foldably secured to said facing edges and bent inwardly therefrom so as to extend alongside one another substantially longitudinally of said enclosure, thereby to define a partition between end containers in said rows, and substantially triangular panels between and foldably connected to said end panels and said inclined side wall sections.

12. The carton of claim 11, in which the length of said top wall panels is less than the length of said vertical sections of said side walls and the combined length of said top wall panels and the end panels connected thereto is greater than the length of said vertical sections of said side Walls, said triangular panels having free edges tapering outwardly from the end edges of the corresponding side wall sections to the end edges of said end panels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,771 7/ 1943 Fiore 2201 13 2,362,995 11/ 1944 Gilbert 2201l2 3,006,530 10/1961 Forrer 22940 3,128,010 4/1964 Forrer 220-112 3,129,843 4/1964 Weiss 2201l2 3,167,214 1/1965 Mahon 229-40 X GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER CARTON COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL ON WHICH CONTAINERS ARE ADAPTED TO REST, SIDE WALLS EXTENDING UP FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND FIRST AND SECOND TOP WALL PANELS FOLDABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND HAVING FREE EDGES LOCATED REMOTE FROM THEIR ASSOCIATED SIDE WALLS, SAID FIRST TOP WALL PANEL OVERLAPPING SAID SECOND TOP WALL PANEL, SAID SECOND PANEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APERTURES FORMED THEREIN AND, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID APERTURES, A PLURALITY OF FLAPS FORMED THEREFROM, SAID FLAPS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM FOLDLINES LOCATED LATERALLY OUTSIDE SAID FREE EDGE OF SAID FIRST PANEL TO POINTS LATERALLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID FREE EDGE, SAID FIRST PANEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF TABS SPACED LATERALLY FROM SAID FREE EDGE OF SAID FIRST PANEL, SAID TABS REGISTERING WITH AND ENTERING THE APERTURES IN SAID SECOND PANEL, SAID FIRST PANEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF 